Biology BS in Microbiology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Georgia State University

Program Overview

The Biology, B.S. with a Microbiology concentration at Georgia State University is a four-year program designed for students interested in microorganisms, infectious disease, environmental microbiology, biotechnology, research, and health-related fields. Students build a broad foundation in biology and chemistry before developing specialized knowledge through microbiology, genetics, microbial ecology, medical microbiology, virology, and laboratory-based study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin with the scientific foundations needed for advanced biology, including BIOL 1103K Introductory Biology I, BIOL 1104K Introductory Biology II, and introductory chemistry courses. This stage develops core knowledge in biological principles and establishes the laboratory and quantitative foundation required for the major.

Year 2: Students progress into more specialized biological study with courses such as BIOL 2300 Microbiology and Public Health, BIOL 2310 Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, and BIOL 3800 Molecular Cell Biology. The microbiology laboratory provides hands-on experience with basic techniques for the culture and identification of microbes, connecting classroom concepts with practical laboratory work.

Year 3: The curriculum develops deeper microbiological and genetic understanding through subjects including BIOL 3880 Microbiology, BIOL 3890 Microbiology Laboratory, and BIOL 3900 Genetics. Students can also build expertise in areas such as microbial physiology, genetics, molecular biology, and laboratory methods as they move toward upper-level study.

Year 4: Advanced study can include BIOL 4428 Medical Microbiology, BIOL 4458 Microbial Ecology and Metabolism, and BIOL 4575 Virology, with additional options such as BIOL 4484 Laboratory Techniques in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, BIOL 4580 Microbial Pathogenesis, BIOL 4595 Microbial Physiology and Genetics, and BIOL 4910 Undergraduate Research in Biology. These courses allow students to connect microbiology with human disease, environmental systems, microbial metabolism, pathogenesis, and independent research.

Focus areas: Microbiology, microbial ecology and metabolism, medical microbiology, virology, microbial pathogenesis, microbial physiology and genetics, laboratory techniques, molecular biology, and undergraduate research.

Learning outcomes: Students develop scientific literacy, the ability to critically read peer-reviewed literature and interpret scientific data, civic awareness of scientific issues, and the professionalism and work ethic expected of young scientists.

Professional alignment (accreditation): Georgia State University states that the Biology B.S. prepares students for career paths across academia and industry, including microbiology, environmental sciences, biochemistry, biomedicine, public health sciences, forensic science, data analytics, and bioinformatics; the university also highlights progression into professional schools and master's and doctoral study. A program-specific professional accreditation is not stated on the official Biology B.S. page.

Reputation (employability rankings): A program-specific employability ranking for the Biology B.S. is not stated on the official Georgia State University program page.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Biology BS with a Microbiology concentration at Georgia State University gives students practical experience through laboratory-based biology courses, research opportunities, internships, and hands-on scientific investigation. Students can participate in faculty research laboratories and Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), while specialized facilities provide access to equipment such as real-time PCR, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy. The program also connects students with applied experiences through internships, community outreach, and the department’s microbiology-focused research opportunities.

Students can build microbiology-specific practical skills through these opportunities:

Microbiology coursework: The B.S. Biology curriculum includes Microbiology and Genetics as major coursework, providing a direct academic foundation for the Microbiology concentration.
Course-Based Undergraduate Research: Through the Program for Undergraduate Research in the Life Sciences (PURL), students can participate in CURE laboratories where they conduct experiments within a research-focused, peer-centered environment. Previous Biology CURE topics have included molecular parasitology, microbial ecology, metagenomics and microbes, and fermentation ecology.
Faculty research laboratories: Students can earn credit for working in a GSU faculty research laboratory, learning laboratory and research techniques under the guidance of a principal investigator and graduate or postdoctoral researchers.
Research course: BIOL 4910: Undergraduate Research in Biology involves an independent laboratory investigation conducted with a Biology faculty instructor and can be repeated once for additional research experience.
Group experimental projects: BIOL 4905: Theme-Based Biology Laboratory has students work in small groups to develop biological hypotheses, design experiments, conduct investigations, and analyze their results.
Internships: The Biology Internship Program offers Professional, Research, Instructional, and Medical internship tracks. BIOL 4915: Collaborative Internships in Biology and BIOL 4916: Internships in Biology provide credit-bearing opportunities to gain hands-on experience using biology-related knowledge and skills; B.S. students may also receive up to four credit hours for qualifying off-campus internships.
Microbiology internship opportunities: The department specifically highlights microbiology internships and research experiences, including opportunities connected with molecular and synthetic microbiology research.
Molecular and imaging equipment: Biology facilities include an ABI 7500 real-time PCR instrument, BD FACS Canto and FACS Aria flow cytometers/cell sorter, Becton Dickinson LSR Fortessa, and Zeiss LSM 500 and LSM 700 confocal microscopes. These facilities are particularly relevant to molecular, cellular, microbial, and biomedical research.
Biomedical research facilities: Georgia State’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences provides access to advanced facilities including a Germ-Free Animal Facility, Transgenic and Gene Targeting, Histopathology Core, and other research infrastructure supporting infectious-disease and microbiome research.
High-containment and analytical facilities: University research infrastructure includes BSL-3 laboratories and animal facilities through the High Containment Core, along with laser confocal, biological light and electron microscopy through the Imaging Core and mass spectrometry capabilities for biological molecules.
Bio-Bus outreach: Students can engage with the department’s Bio-Bus, a mobile teaching laboratory that takes hands-on science activities to K–12 schools throughout the metro-Atlanta area, providing an additional applied and science-communication experience.
iGEM: Georgia State Biology’s iGEM team competes annually in the international iGEM Jamboree, giving students an opportunity to participate in a collaborative synthetic-biology project environment.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Biology BS with a Microbiology concentration at Georgia State University prepares students for careers across microbiology, laboratory science, public health, environmental science, biotechnology, and related life-science fields. The university specifically identifies opportunities in microbiology research, laboratory management, public health sciences, quality assurance and control, forensic science, and bioinformatics, while also supporting progression into professional and graduate programs.

Career and Employment Opportunities:

Typical career roles: Graduates can pursue roles such as microbiologist, biological technician, laboratory manager, and research scientist, with additional opportunities in environmental science, biomedicine, quality assurance and control, public health, forensic science, data analytics, and bioinformatics.
Career services: University Career Services provides career counseling, resume reviews, mock interviews, job-search support, employer information sessions, career fairs, and internship guidance. Students can use Handshake to search full-time, part-time, internship, and co-op positions; GSU states that Handshake connects students with 5,000+ employers.
Employment preparation: The Biology Internship Program offers Professional, Research, Instructional, and Medical internship tracks, while BIOL 4915 and BIOL 4916 provide opportunities to receive academic credit for collaborative and hands-on biology internships.
Employment statistics and salary: Georgia State reports an overall university figure of $65,800 average starting salary within five years of graduation and $112,100 average mid-career salary, based on PayScale 2025 data. These figures are university-wide and are not stated specifically for Biology BS or the Microbiology concentration, so they should not be interpreted as microbiology-specific salary outcomes.
University–industry connections: Georgia State’s Biology department offers a Quality Assurance in Life Science Industries certificate developed with industry-oriented coursework, mentorship and internship opportunities, a life-science industry job portal, and a microcredential designed to communicate students’ skills to employers.
Research and professional connections: Biology students can participate in the Program for Undergraduate Research in the Life Sciences (PURL) and faculty research laboratories, including microbiology-focused research. Georgia State also maintains industry collaboration through its Institute for Biomedical Sciences, which supports research partnerships and commercialization opportunities.
Long-term accreditation value: Georgia State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Georgia State notes that accreditation supports the acceptance and transfer of college credits and that an accredited undergraduate degree is a standard prerequisite for admission to most graduate programs.
Graduation outcomes: Biology graduates can enter industry, academia, government, laboratory and public-health careers, including positions with health departments and organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency. Graduates may also continue into medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, public health, physician assistant, master's, or doctoral programs.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the Biology BS with a Microbiology concentration, students can continue into master's or doctoral study in biology, microbiology, biomedical sciences, or related disciplines. Georgia State also reports that its Biology graduates gain admission to professional programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, public health, and physician assistant studies, while its graduate offerings include advanced biomedical research pathways.